The Masks We Wear
by AnnarchyLives
Summary: When the Mask shatters, what is left? Naruto will discover his own answer through this new path in the shinobi world. With Kakashi, Tenzo, and most surprisingly Ino, by his side, Naruto will go through new trials and tribulations, discover a few secrets, and maybe get a new outlook on life.


**_"Love takes off masks that we fear we cannot live without, but know we cannot live within." _**

**_-James Baldwin_**

The day had started out like any other in Hi no Kuni, the breeze swaying the leaves of the many trees, the sun touching all of its citizens, driving out the slight chill of the nights actions.

Tsunade Senju, Hokage of Konohagakure, sat at her desk just like any other day. But she couldn't stop the dread settling deep in her gut.

Team 7 was supposed to be returning today. She had already gotten a toad from Naruto. The entire mission had gone sideways, and they had run into Sasuke and Kabuto. From the sound of the short note, Sakura had been gravely injured and it was unsure if she would make it.

Suddenly her door slammed open to reveal the teen himself, with only Sai accompanying him. Naruto was missing his jacket, only having his mesh armor top and blackened orange pants on. His blond hair was dull with dirt and dried blood. His eyes though, were the most chilling.

They were hard. No smile, no laugh, not a hint of the mischievous gleam that usually held court in the bright blues.

Tsunade took a deep breath, "Report."

"Jonin Kakashi Hatake and Chunin Sakura Haruno are unable to be present, as they are currently incapacitated and in the care of the Hospital. The mission to ascertain information discretely on the whereabouts of Orochimaru and Otogakure, was an utter failure."

Tsunade could barely withhold her shock. He didn't just look serious, he _was _serious_. _

Naruto went on to explain that they had been right on track, and well within mission parameters until Kabuto showed up. After the first ten minutes of battle, Sasuke showed up. That's when Sakura, of all people, defied orders and tried to capture Sasuke, even after Kakashi told them to abandon and flee.

That's how she wound up in the state she is currently in.

At this, Naruto went silent, fists clenched, and broke eye contact to look angrily at the floor. At this point Sai took over the remaining report.

"Naruto quickly took command of the mission. If not for Naruto's quick thinking and command, I don't think any of us would have made it home, Hokage-sama. Naruto retrieved Sakura from her position while I got Kakashi-senpai. From there he set off multiple smoke bombs and used the cover to create four groups of clones, while I created four of my birds for each group to escape in different directions. Naruto had his summons flee with one of the clone groups to create a bias towards that group, which fled directly South for Konoha while the real group went East towards Yu no Kuni, before circling Southwest to Konoha."

There was a long pause, where the silence in the room stifled the occupants, before Sai finished his final thoughts, "I recommend Naruto for promotion to Chunin, as I am sure Kakashi-senpai will do as well once you go to see him for his report."

Tsunade's face was carefully blank. After what she had just heard, she would be glad to field promote Naruto. Hell, if he continued to show the side of him he was at the moment (that of a serious, honest to Kami _shinobi) _she would be more than ecstatic to do so. But first, she would need to hear Kakashi's report.

She glanced once more at Naruto. She wondered... is this the true Naruto? The one he hid behind the idiot? His joy and smiles often seemed too forced to her. She knew he was hiding quite a bit, but she also didn't know if she _wanted_ this new Naruto to be the real one. This Naruto had icy eyes and clenched teeth; stiff, yet relaxed posture, waiting for attack; his lips pulling back only for sneers and growls, harsh words and harsher truths spilling from them. Although sometimes irritating, she liked the happy, brightens up a room everywhere he goes Naruto. The one where the fierceness of his whisker marks are softened by smiles and eyes lit with mischief.

"Thank you, Sai. Your recommendation will be taken under serious consideration. Naruto. Please stay back a moment."

As Sai left, Naruto once again looked at Tsunade, and for the first time that day, she completely understood what she was seeing.

"Naruto... talk to me." She said in the most caring voice that Naruto had ever heard.

"Hokage-sama,"

"Stop right there. When it's just us, just call me Tsunade. Understand?"

"I... I don't think I do." Naruto looked pleadingly to Tsunade, a desperate hope in his eyes unlike anything she had ever seen. Her eyes softened even further as she stood up and rounded her desk before taking the boy, no, young man, into her arms as gently as she could, holding him tightly before pushing him away slightly so she could look him in the eye. It was then that she realized he was slightly taller than her now.

"Naruto, I don't know if anyone has ever told you this, but it _okay_ to be hurt. It is okay to feel sadness, and pain. It is okay for you to be _angry_. It's okay to be who you are."

At this, the dam seemed to crack, but not fully rupture, "But it isn't, Tsunade. We both know my place here. I _can't be angry. _I can't lose my control. I can't be smart, I can't be skilled. I'm not allowed. I've always had expectations heaped on my shoulders to never be anything but exactly what the village wants, and that's some oblivious idiot that does nothing right, that they can treat how they want and receive no repercussions. I wear orange so that they can see me, because I was _too good_ at disappearing; I'm loud because they feel safer when the know where I'm at; I failed so many times because they either never taught me, or they taught me wrong on purpose. _I can't be who I am because I'm not allowed._"

Tsunade, while angry, felt as much sadness as ever. Her heart broke for this young man that she claimed to have done so much for, yet it hasn't been enough. He was so isolated from everyone else, and it hurt her to see him like this, "Naruto, I swear I'll finally do right by you. You deserve so much more than has been given to you. And _yes,_ you are allowed to be yourself. If you're happy, then I'll always be glad to see you smile, but I hate seeing you hide your hurt, your anger, and your pain. From now on, I don't want to see those fake smiles. I want you to show the world who you are, because the man I see in front of me is amazing, and worthy of love. I love you like a son, you know? I just want to see you be yourself, and to succeed at everything while staying true to yourself."

At last, it ruptured, and his tears fell freely. He wrapped his arms tightly around Tsunade and she soothes him quietly as he shook violently with unheard sobs. She didn't know how long this went on, only that her haori was soaked.

When he finally stopped, she held on for a few more moments, and Naruto couldn't be more thankful for those few precious moments of warmth. After they pulled apart he wiped his face with the heel of his palm and took a deep shuddering breath. She had been right, no one had ever told him that, had never outright said they loved him in any capacity. He liked to think that some of his friends had a platonic kind of love for him, but because it was never so plainly stated, he had no real reassurance of it.

"Tsunade... you're the first person to ever tell me that they love me, you know that?"

Her eyes widened, "I didn't. I'll make sure to say it more often, then. Everyone should hear that someone loves them when it's true."

"Thank you. For caring. Jiji was the only one who ever remembered the real me. That's why he was always so patient. It doesn't help that I don't learn well by listening to something. I've always been a kinesthetic learner, so reading and having things explained is all well and good but I won't truly understand until I actually start practicing it."

Tsunades eyes widened. This Naruto wasn't actually all that different from the mask, just a little more soft spoken and knowledgeable, "So, that's why Kakashi never really seemed like a good fitted Sensei for you. He is very much a visual learner from what I understand, and I doubt he tried very hard to leave his comfort zone. Honestly I never would have picked him for a Sensei. I have no idea what was going though Hiruzen-Sensei's head when he appointed Kakashi. I mean, I get the whole Team 7 thing, but breaking tradition may have actually changed the cycle.."

"Sensei wasn't so bad. I don't know exactly why, but the way he used to look at us... it was like he was seeing ghosts. It got better after a while, but by the time he was actually ready, everything started going so wrong. Sasuke leaving broke his heart, but I don't think it hurt as much as when he found me with a hole in my chest after my fight at the Valley of End. I was barely conscious, but I remember him begging for me not to be dead. He barely paid Sasuke leaving any mind at that point. But maybe that's just wishful thinking on my part." He paused, looking to Tsunade, "What do you mean the cycle of Team 7?"

"It wasn't explained to you? Well, I suppose not. I never mentioned it to Sakura either. Hmm, well, the title of Team 7 is cursed, you could say. Every single Team 7 has been great, amazing even, but tragedy always strikes, sooner or later." At this she sat on the edge of her desk, eyes lowered and somber.

"It started with the original Team 7, lead by my uncle Senju Tobirama, with Hiruzen-Sensei, Homura, and Koharu. During the First Shinobi war, Uncle Tobirama sacrificed himself for his team to buy time, making sure to appoint Hiruzen-Sensei to Hokage before doing so."

She took a long, deep breath, "Then there was my Team, taught by Team 7 member Hiruzen Saratobi. You know exactly what happened to us. Then of course there was Jiraya's Team 7, with Namikaze Minato, Inuzuka Akiko, and An orphan named Akahana, family name unknown. Minato was the only student to survive to chunin and eventually Jonin and Hokage. Before Hokage though, he taught another Team 7, this one consisting of Hatake Kakashi, Uchiha Obito, and Nohara Rin. Well, Obito and Rin died during the Third Shinobi War and we all know the fate of Minato, and naturally, that leaves the only surviving member as Kakashi. Now, there's your generation. Sasuke defected, you hide behind masks, and Sakura throws herself in dangerous situations trying to repair the team she didn't even have a hand in breaking."

Naruto was enraptured by the story, though he felt the pain of empathy in his chest when Kakashi and Tsunades teams were brought up. He also flinched when she gave a succulent yet accurate depiction of his own.

"Also, there are some traditions surrounding Team 7, such as that Team 7 will always be taught by a member of the previous Team 7. It's also always formulated as the Rookie, Konoichi, and Dead Last of the year. You were, Obito was, Akiko was, Jiraya was, and Homura was. As I said, Team 7 has a long, infamous history, as well as traditions. It was just your luck that you managed to be a part of it all."

Naruto gently reached up to scratch the back of his head, "Heh, yeah, sounds about right. Everyone says I have the Devils luck, but I don't really see it that way. I've nearly died so many times, I just figure Karma decides to only be nice sometimes and win me a few bets."

Tsunade looked sadly at her favorite blond, wishing she had answered her Sensei when he begged her to come back after the Kyuubi attack. Well, regrets were useless now. She had the chance to help build him into the man she can see glimpses of now, even more so now that he'll be dropping that horrible mask. And maybe the orange. Wait...

"Do you even _like _the color orange? I know you mentioned earlier that you wore it so that people could actually see you.."

Naruto thought about it for a moment, "Well, I don't _hate_ it. I actually did used to really like it, but I know it's not a good stealth color, which is why I started wearing so much of it. It was easier for everyone to forget that I could outrun ANBU when I was 8."

"ANBU huh? Hmm... How would you like to join ANBU?"

"I actually always wanted to join... WAIT, did you just ask me to join ANBU Tsunade?"

Tsunade smirked, "Well I think it'd be good for you. It would get you out of the public eye for a while, they would also help train you in all fields of being a Shinobi, and because they are directly under my command, it would mean that the council would have no say whatsoever in your life."

Naruto nodded, conceding the point, "Huh. I guess that would be a bonus. Plus they have some sweet uniforms."

Tsunade smirked at Naruto, seeing his famous fox like grin for the first time in a week.

"Good. Then as soon as I have Kakashi's recommendation on file, I'll push your promotion to chunin through, and once that is done, I'll call you back to give you your official orders to report to ANBU training."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that."

**At the Hospital, in Sakura's Room**

Tsunade walked briskly into the room, hands lighting up green with healing chakra.

"You did very good, Shizune. There are only a few injuries left, and I'm guessing that's only because the other medics and yourself got low on chakra?"

Shizune flushes with the praise, and some embarrassment, "Yes Tsunade-sama, she was in critical condition when she and Kakashi-san arrived. Kakashi-san is already awake and fully healed in room 309, he is just waiting for his dismissal from you. Sakura... she was on the brink of death. We had to keep restarting her heart for the first 30 minutes and we used almost 6 full blood bags during the transfusion process because of major internal and external bleeding."

At this, Shizune had to take a breath. She had, as a medic, dealt with these situations on many occasions, however 6 blood bags was nearly unheard of, and she had never operated on someone she held dear before.

"It was very touch and go, Tsunade-sama. There were a lot of moments where I thought we were going to lose her for good."

Tsunade worked silently for a bit longer, thinking about how she could have lost yet another precious person. Her own student.

"You silly girl. This is why I told you to get that damned Uchiha out of your head."

The two fell once more into a yawning silence. Not quite awkward, yet not comfortable either. The beeping of the machines gave some background noise, but for medics, it barely registered to them.

"Tsunade-sama, there is one more thing you should know."

Tsunade turned to Shizune and raised her eyebrow, "Oh? And why haven't you told me already?"

"Well the thing is, is we found hemostatic gauze already pushed into the wounds. It looked to be about 4 rolls. The fact that it was there wasn't the surprising part, it was there was so much. Sakura only ever carries two rolls at a time, on any given mission. Which means one of the others not only knew what it was and how to use it, but also carried some of their own."

"Hmm, it was probably Naruto. He is the one who took command of the mission after Kakashi was taken out. He performed admirably. He is actually being recommended toward promotion. And he will be a chunin, if it's the last thing I do."

"Tsunade-sama, I don't mean to sound rude, but are you sure he is ready? I only ask because I'm worried about him. I see him smiling all the time, but for whatever reason, it doesn't sit quite right with me."

Tsunade looked sadly at her first apprentice, "As it shouldn't. I can't tell you everything I know, but Naruto wears a mask, much like his Sensei. It's just harder to see. But soon, he will be wearing a different mask. I already have his code name picked out, after all."

"Tsunade-sama?"

Tsunade simply smirked to her apprentice, looking forward to the next chapter.

Unknown to the two konoichi, Kakashi was outside of the room, when he overheard this. He didn't know how to feel. He felt a mixture of betrayal and bone-deep sadness, that he couldn't recognize the fact that his student was more like him than he even suspected. And now Tsunade is going to have Naruto join ANBU? Kakashi especially didn't know how to feel about that.

On one hand, his chest burned with pride, on the other, he feared losing Naruto. Kakashi needed to show Naruto that he meant it when he promised that he wouldn't fail as a Sensei anymore.

"Tsunade-sama, do you mean what you just said?"

Tsunade and Shizune both turned to face the newest occupant of the room, Shizune a little more dramatically.

"Hmm, and what did I just say Kakashi?" She answered his question with a question.

"Naruto will be joining the black ops?"

Tsunade finished healing Sakura before answering, "She will be out for another few hours. Shizune, will you please go ahead and get some new IV fluid in here, and have one of the nurses moniter her. I want a notification as soon as she is awake. Kakashi, I believe we have some matters to discuss in my office."

"Yes Tsunade-sama." They both answered before Tsunade and Kakashi took off in separate shunshins.

**In Tsunades office**

"Tsunade-sama, I understand the motivation behind—" before he could finish, Tsunade held up her hand for silence.

"Before we ever get to that, Kakashi, I already have the report for your mission, both verbal and physical. Naruto did both. However, Sai has recommended Naruto for chunin, and mentioned that you might be doing so also. Was he wrong?" Tsunade raised her eyebrow.

"No—" Kakashi began, once again trying to continue his sentence, before being silenced once more.

"Great! I will need your written recommendation within the hour. Here is a pen and paper. Please, have a seat. I insist." She smiled a sickly sweet smile at the jonin with a propensity to being late.

Kakashi gulped. Looks like there was no arguing, or putting this off.

After the hour was up, and his recommendation turned in, he looked to Tsunade, waiting for the real discussion to begin.

"I know you have your concerns, but I do have one question that I would like for you to answer honestly, Kakashi. Do you regret the way you trained your team?"

Without hesitation, though feeling like the question had taken the air from his lungs, Kakashi answered, "Yes. Though sometimes, it feels like they were doomed from the start." He stared at the ground, scuffing it a bit with his sandal

"That's because they were."

Kakashi's head jerked up to look at the blonde Hokage. What did she mean "they were"?

"I see you have questions. Kakashi, they were not doomed because the formula was necessarily wrong, per se, but because of the clash of personalities, and of goals. Every new team has a messy period right after the formation, but this period is usually only a couple weeks, maybe a month. Most teams are made to be compatible, both in skill and personality. Team 7, was not. You had, well... to put it bluntly, a Sensei that had really no business at the time being a Sensei, a fan girl with no real ambition or goal, much less skill, an orphan who hid behind masks of idiocy so that he wouldn't be outright targeted, and a revenge obsessed boy who was handed everything to him on a silver platter and had hatred so deeply imbedded into his heart that love and bonds had no room to grow.

Kakashi stayed silent. He knew all of this. He had seen and met his team. Naruto was maybe a bit of a surprise. He should probably go into some kind of intelligence field if it's true.

Tsunade continued though, much to Kakashis dismay, "Let's not mention their skill sets. While it is true that Naruto _could_ be a frontline fighter, his true calling is in stealth and combat analysis. What you call 'unpredictable knucklehead' I call 'brilliant combat strategy'. He dismantles his opponents by continuously analyzing and re-examining their combat techniques. While not on the level of a Nara, his forward thinking and planning are also nothing to scoff at. After all, he was a mere 8 years old when he was outrunning and outsmarting fully realized ANBU.

As for Sakura, until she came to me for training, she _had_ no skills. Nothing to offer except maybe some facts about any given subject. All brains, no brawn, one could say. Her stamina and strength were abysmal, motivation to improve near non-existent, and don't get me started on the little fantasy world she had in her head. She was given no reality checks, virtually no training, and no consequences. She is by far an amazing and talented medical konoichi now, but because of the fact that she was never faced with the reality of her choices as a genin, she still goes off at times, and situations like the one that occurred on your most recent mission arises.

Finally, we have the Uchiha. He was never disciplined, never told no, and hailed as a little hero for absolutely nothing really worth note. Not even an actual genius or prodigy. Just slightly above average. Selfish. Nigh impossible to give orders to, or work with. I can't go into much more detail as I never got to know him, but I can tell you this from what I did see of him: he is nothing short of power hungry. Once he's had his revenge, then what? What will he aim to destroy next? Who will he aim to kill next?"

"So how does all of this mean that it was doomed from the jump, Tsunade-sama?" Kakashi was quickly absorbing the information. Again, he already knew most of it, but he wasn't quite able to grasp the picture that Tsunade was painting. Certainly they aren't immediately compatible, but they are his students. He was so sure that they would come together after Wave, and the chunin exams, but that only seemed to drive them apart and he had no clue why.

Tsunade sighed and rubbed her temple, "What I'm saying, is that those three weren't compatible at all. Uchiha was so absorbed in his own power and importancy, that any success Naruto had was going to drive him deeper into his hatred. Every time Sakura wasn't as physically capable, he only saw the weakness of the village. And every time anyone trained him, and only him, it cemented his ideas that _he_ was the only one worthy of success."

Kakashi took a moment to formulate his next question, "So what you mean... is that Sasuke was the _main_ issue. That his presence made it impossible for the team to have any actual cohesion."

"Well, it wasn't just him, but he was the main perpetrator," Tsunade sighed, her years showing just a bit in the sadness that swelled in the shadows of her eyes, "Naruto certainly didn't help with his masks, and Sakura was no better with her infatuation."

Kakashi sat in silence for a minute. He felt some relief, but also guilt for feeling relieved. Maybe it wasn't entirely his fault that nothing worked out with his team the way he wanted it to. But the guilt was because he was the _adult _at the time, and they the children. He should have been able to do more for them. Helped them through their issues.

He knew better though. He has a lot of skeletons in his own closet. Too many. How was he supposed to help anyone when he could barely help himself? How could he guide anyone to healing when he himself primarily kept company with the dead?

He came to a decision then. He would do his best. It was all he could do, and he had to believe that his best would maybe be something worthwhile.

"I want to help him."

Tsunade looked closely at the man before her, trying to understand his sudden statement/request, "How?"

"I'll rejoin ANBU. I can be his Captain. I have a lot of experience and I could help guide him until he's ready to take the rank himself. I promised him that I would be there for him. I want to actually be able to say I kept it."

"Are you sure?"

Kakashi looked her in the eye, "I've never been more sure of anything in my life."

**_A/N: Hi guys! If you're reading this, then thank you for your time! This is a pretty raw idea, and yes, I realize that the characters a maybe a little OOC, but this is something that I've been sitting on for a while. I always felt like Naruto was a little _too_ happy go lucky for all the shit he went through as a child, and that if he hadn't had such bias against him, things would have been very different. So if you have any critiques or criticism, please make it helpful, I WILL report members who are insulting, derogatory, or who harrass other reviewers with blatant disrespect. I do not stand for such nonsense. That being said, I welcome your opinions and hope you enjoyed my little fledgling idea. When updates occur, they will be sporadic, and if you've read any of my other fics, I should be updating those within the next week or two (I know I know I took a long hiatus, but it was really necessary for my own health). Asta luego!_**


End file.
